


Stuck With You

by AceyEnn



Series: Tales From Crystal University [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Autistic Pearl, Ensemble Cast, F/F, F/M, Gen, POV Second Person, Roommates, Slice of Life, mentions of parental abuse, mentions of parental neglect, poly rose
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 03:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5232767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceyEnn/pseuds/AceyEnn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dorm life is a hard thing to adjust to at the best of times. And for Pearl Finnegan and Amethyst Diaz, it is most definitely not the best of times--especially not when they're both convinced they'll never get along.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stuck With You

Your name is Pearl Finnegan, and you're not sure you've been so nervous in your entire life.

 

You feel like you _shouldn't_ be nervous. You'd been beyond excited for college, especially after being accepted to the prestigious Crystal University. The only thing that had worried you had been paying for college, but weeks spent slaving away on your essay for a full-ride scholarship had paid off, brushing those concerns away.

 

And yet now, standing at the door to your dorm room, you're beyond apprehensive, too paralyzed with fear to even open the door.

 

It's your mother who finally takes the key card from your hand and swipes it, holding the door for you. Slowly, shakily, you enter, dragging your suitcase behind you.

 

It's certainly nicer than your room back home. It has a small bathroom, complete with a shower and tub, and a walk-in closet. Two large desks sit on opposite sides of the main room, and there's a bunk bed against the wall. You place your suitcase in the closet and sit down on the bottom bunk. It's not the most comfortable bed in the world, admittedly, but it'll do. You've slept in worse.

 

Your mother hugs you goodbye, tells you she loves you and that she'll call you every day. You hug her back, and you're reluctant to let go, but after a while she pulls away, kissing you on the forehead—right on the scar left behind from a childhood spill—and leaves, shutting the door behind her.

 

You look at your watch—it's noon, so your roommate should be here fairly soon. According to the little piece of paper taped to the door, her name is Amethyst Diaz.

 

 _That can't be a real name_ , you think to yourself. Then again, your own name is Pearl—how is that any different? Why is it that Pearl and Ruby are accepted as given names, but you've never met an Amethyst, or a Sapphire, or a Garnet? Why is it that every Jasper you've met has been male, even though generally such names are feminine?

 

Just another arbitrary social thing, you suppose.

 

In fairness, most social things seem pretty arbitrary to you. Especially when it comes to actually interacting with other people, particularly if they're people you've never met before. And maybe that's why the fact that you're in college now is suddenly kind of terrifying.

 

At least for the time being, you're alone. Probably not for long, but it's something.

 

You decide to take advantage of that precious alone time to settle in a bit. You make your bed (the bottom bunk, of course); you hang your clothes up neatly in the closet and arrange your toiletries in the bathroom. Your laptop is placed carefully on your desk, far enough from the edge that there's no chance of it falling and breaking, but close enough to be usable.

 

You smile, satisfied with your work, and sit back down. Once again, you check your phone, discovering that you'd lost track of time while arranging your belongings. It's nearly 1:30, and somehow this Amethyst girl still hasn't shown.

 

But of course, as soon as you set your phone down, the door flies open.

 

Of _course._

 

The girl in the doorway—Amethyst, you presume—saunters in without hesitation, practically slamming the door behind her. You flinch at the sudden noise, eyes wide, and she laughs. She actually _laughs._

 

“...Nice to meet you too,” you say, and you know your tone is a bit icy, but you don't care.

 

Amethyst huffs, practically throwing her suitcase off to the side. “Wow, _sorry_ ,” she replies, rolling her eyes.

 

You take a good look at the girl you'll be stuck sharing a room with for the rest of the school year. She's extremely short, less than five feet by your estimations, and on the pudgy side. Tan skin with freckles, brown eyes, and some of the longest hair you've ever seen. It's dyed a light shade of purple, but you can see her dirty-blonde roots. She's dressed in a baggy T-shirt for some band you've never heard of, purple leggings adorned with black stars, and dark purple high tops. _Not exactly dressed to impress_ , you think to yourself.

 

“What are you staring at?”

 

You blush. “Um.”

 

She bursts into laughter again, doubling over as she cackles. “Oh man, you are _thirsty_ ,” she gasps out between guffaws. “I know I'm a babe, but God, we've only just met.”

 

With a groan, you bury your face in your hands, wondering how the hell you're going to survive living with someone like _her._

 

Maybe you'll talk to the RA. Maybe you can get a different roommate.

 

Lord, do you ever hope so.

 


End file.
